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Thursday, April 12, 2012

Ahmed Hassan Interview with FIFA World

the last February a new international appearance record has been set for men's soccer by the Egyptian Soccer player Ahmed Hassan Zamalek and Egypt national team midfielder with 179 participation with the Egyptian National Team, FIFA World was on time to meet the Egyptian eagle as he's named in Egypt to talk about a lot of issues, his current career with Zamalek, about the Port-said Massacre which happened the 1st of the last February, also about the consequences of The Port-said tragedy and Its effect on the future of the Egyptian soccer.

FIFA World: Ahmed, Congratulation for achieving the new record, Describe how you were maintaining your form and fitness from the time of your start until becoming the world's most-capped player?Ahmed Hassan: at the beginning I just want to say that I feel so much prideful of achieving this record, It's not only personal for me but It's for everyone in my country " Egypt ", It's a honor for an Egyptian to to be titled as the world's most-capped player, It was not simple for me to reach it, I did a lot of effort standing for a lot of struggles, honestly I didn't think about winning all my caps when I began my soccer career, It was just a simple dream to be a good footballer and to represent my country, my first time to join the Egyptian national team when I was 19, from that moment I was always doing the best of me to be called always for the national team and to be a useful choice for every coach trained Egypt, the last 3 years I was focusing more and more with the national team, people took my attention that It could happen that I would be the most-capped player in the world, so I set it as one of the most important targets for me, and even if I faced a block to stop me of achieving my target when I got a serious knee injury in 2010, however I worked so hard on the recovery program to be ready as fast as I can to run again on the pitch and to break the record.

FIFA World: Let's talk about your history with the Egyptian National team, you met the success and the failure with Egypt, by winning 3 consecutive CAF Africa Cup of Nations in row 2006, 2008, then 2010, but after the failure in qualifying for the 2012 edition the Zambia obtained the title, what's your opinion about the future of the Egyptian team? Ahmed Hassan: as a lucky generation we enjoyed being players at one of the perfect eras in the Egyptian soccer, but It's one of this life concepts that you'll not be the best always and you will face some hard times when your curve goes down, we have learnt a hard lesson after underestimating our rivals, It was one of the hardest lessons that we've ever learnt, plus the upcoming days will be so hard and tough for anyone will be in charge of the squad and he should give a lot of effort even afterthe decision of canceling the league due to the bad atmosphere that we live in Egypt, I say It will not be simple mission to be done.

FIFA World: It was a great speech for you when you spoke about the bad situation in Egypt in the night that you have been titled as the world's most-capped player, and the different feelings mixed inside you of breaking the record after PortSaid Stadium Massacre, what was the effect of this tragedy on you?Ahmed Hassan: It was not me only who affected by this tragedy but all the Egyptian Soccer community and all the Egyptian people, the depression came when we all saw that the source of our happiness became a nightmare, but let's admit that what happened affected with a lot of factorslike the fanaticism, also the media was one of the most important factors by their teasing statements and instead of calming them down, It's a great chance to send my condolences for all the martys families wishing that I will be the last sadness moment that we will see in our community, and the football returns to Its basic role as a happiness and entertainment source for the people.

FIFA World: regarding to your career experience as a player who played in 3 countries Egypt, Turkey, then Belgium then returning to Egypt, how you see the difference between the culture of the fans of every country ?Ahmed Hassan: now in Egypt all the great clubs like Ahly, Zamalek, Ismaily, Ittehad and El Masry have their own groups of "Ultras", in my opinion It will be great if they focused only on supporting their teams ethically, but once they cross their limits and use the violence they will be unacceptable and It will be easy to be driven into a new disaster, It's well-known around the world that Ultras groups support their teams with their organized cheering. To Be Continue --------------------------------------FIFA World: a lot of players announced that they will retire from the game and their soccer career has ended up regarding to what happened in Port-Said events, what's your opinion about their decisions and how much time It will take from the Egyptian Soccer to be repaired of this tragedy affects?Ahmed Hassan: I can say that the issue is not only related to the Soccer, no It's something related to all of Egypt and the Egyptian, Egypt now is suffering from ethics absence, suffering from the security absence as well, all of this causing a lot of problems in the Egyptians life, I think It needs sometime to recover, there's no doubt that the Egyptian Soccer will bounce back but all Egypt should to make it out of this dark tunnel. Stability will never come back until everyone in Egypt know his duties and his rights and to know his role and to respect the role of the others.

Ahmed Hassan Statement: I will retire just in one case when I feel that I am not able to do more or I don't want to play soccer anymore, if I reached that point , so I will target new goals for the upcoming days after leaving football.

FIFA World: Do you consent alongside the commonly presented belief in Egypt which previous many years political unrest provided to the ailing fortunes of Egyptian soccer?Ahmed Hassan: It has already surely been a factor, however it’s not the principal factor. Had been every one of the component of this nation as well as anything which keeps going has an effect on you, so organically the focus levels drop as well as you are not able to stay focused whenever these chaos is in progress at home. Ahead of there s the simple fact which you couldn’t play for a really long time alongside the league being suspended for virtually 4 months. However, once more, I don’t believe that has been the only real factor. You furthermore had gotten over-confident as well as simply thought it had been going to generally be effortless to be eligible for the Africa Cup of States. By the time you d realised the error, following the 1st 2 matches against Sierra Leone as well as Niger, it had been already too belated.

FIFA World: You’re a huge idol in Egypt - have you ever considered acquiring taking part in politics?Ahmed Hassan: Little, I don’t desire to get taking part in politics. I’m simply a footballer as well as I’d love to stick to this. I’ve really been asked to stand because a prospect for the parliamentary elections however I refused point blank. I’ve been called from a very few individuals searching for my own endorsement however I refused to get involved due to the fact I don’t desire to take just about any political edges as well as I don’t desire to manipulate individuals s options in every way. I believe individuals must select whom they vote for based in the applicants own work not due to the fact a famous celebrity told them whom to vote for.

FIFA World: Egypt are really today coached by Bob Bradley, whose USA team eliminated Egypt from the FIFA Confederations Cup in 2009. What exactly is the impression of him thus far? Is his design different from some kind of Egyptian coach?Ahmed Hassan: I don’t believe in classifying coaches or perhaps anyone else for which thing based upon in which they come from. Whether he is actually Egyptian or perhaps some kind of American, I think every coach would like his team to do perfectly for his very own sake, because it s his distinction which is in the line. Bradley is a great coach as well as he has already a vision. It is actually very tough job to take in the Egyptian nationwide team at this time as well as I sympathise alongside him, however he has become checking out brand-new players as well as brand-new tips, and that is a good thing for the team as well as for the long run of Egyptian soccer.

FIFA World: Exactly what are really Egypt’s possibilities of qualifying for the 2014 FIFA World Cup™ in Brazil?Ahmed Hassan: It’s going to generally be tough. Within the active circumstances, it’s difficult for players to remain in profile as well as come across chances to practise as well as play significant games however it continues to be possible, because long because you don’t repeat the blunders from the 2012 Africa Cup of States qualifiers. You need to treat every game really really, from the 1st match upon, as well as did not underestimate just about any opponent.

FIFA World: You're among the very few players to have crossed the separate between Egyptian leaders Al-Ahly as well as Zamalek. Are you able to tell you exactly what that has been like?Ahmed Hassan: I dealt alongside the thing expertly. This might be my own job as well as those are really the greatest 2 clubs in Egypt, if not Africa, so it was some kind of honour to experience for both. I’ve did not had just about any problems alongside Al-Ahly fans, so actually soon after my own move to Zamalek I had been amazingly did not booed or perhaps managed alongside hostility by Al-Ahly’s fans, that really earned it effortless as well as demonstrated the respectful commitment I have alongside every one of the Egyptian fans.

FIFA World: You're furthermore among the very few Egyptians who possess liked an effective knowledgeable job in Europe. Precisely why do you think that some other players have faced problems playing in Europe? What exactly is the key recipe for some kind of Egyptian to have achievements in Europe?Ahmed Hassan: Egyptian players sadly have never but understood the intending of knowledgeable soccer as well as it is a job not simply a game or perhaps a pastime. The attitude of Egyptian or perhaps Arab players in general is truly different, they nevertheless think of soccer because a pastime, dissimilar European players, whom reside as well as inhale soccer as well as change their entire existence to adjust to their jobs because knowledgeable players. When Egyptian players go which amount of professionalism, they will be successful for certain, due to the fact you have various great skills, however which upon its very own is not sufficient. Frame of mind is furthermore a very important component of the player’s job.

FIFA World: You have remained lengthier in Europe. Exactly what earned you choose to return home?Ahmed Hassan: I earned a great name for my self in Turkey as well as Belgium as well as I played for a decade in Europe, so yes, I may have remained lengthier, however I felt which I had accomplished every one of the I can there as well as it had been time for you return home to victory trophies here in Egypt as well as leave a legacy here within my home nation. I furthermore had individual reasons: I desired to increase my own kids in their homeland amidst the very own customs as well as traditions.

FIFA World: As well as today the unavoidable query - whenever do you intend to hang up the shoes?Ahmed Hassan: There comes a time whenever I must move off the pitch, naturally, it’s a reality of existence. However I haven’t decided whenever but. I’ll retire just whenever I feel which I are not able to or perhaps do not desire to play soccer any longer. At which point, I’ll poised a couple brand-new objectives for my self, many most likely in training as well as athletics news.